Losing Weight

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Jan18
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Losing Weight

Post by Jan18 »

Can somebody please help me with this question? (I've read and read and have both Bredesen books, but am confused and didn't find a clear answer.)

In his new book, pp. 190-193, I followed the macro and lean/fat body mass calculations for the weight I am now. Was I supposed to calculate my protein/fat/carb grams based on my current weight if I have weight to lose or on my goal weight? I also need to know if I am supposed to add in more protein, because I am 71 y.o.? The example in his book is for a woman 65 y.o. and I know over 65 y.o. one needs more protein.

I lost some weight last spring, but am stuck and need to lose about that much more to be in a healthy weight range for my height.

My insulin resistance is cured and my other numbers all look good except for my elevated sdLDL and total LDL. (However, I have had two heart scans done five years apart, the last one this past summer, and both show calcium levels to be 0%!) I track on cronometer.com daily and use Keto-Mojo for my glucose and ketones. I am usually in the .5-1.5 range for ketones and my glucose usually varies from 74-86.

The factors I am thinking that could be hampering my weight loss are either how I've figured my macros (on what weight? ideal weight? too many calories because I'm going by my calculations at present weight and maybe should've been using ideal weight?) or possibly my pregnenonlone, which is low.

Can anyone help me out on this now? (I say "now", because I plan to do the Recode with Apollo Health, but just haven't contacted them yet...have been working with a functional med dr. supposedly trained by Bredesen but not happy with her...I'm assuming working with Apollo will help me zero in on the problem, but I wanted to reach out here in the meantime.)

Thank you!
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Julie G
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Re: Losing Weight

Post by Julie G »

Hi jan18! Because you are over 65, you probably want to target higher amounts of protein— 1.1 to 1.2g/kg LBM. It's fine to create your macronutrient ratios based upon your current weight, but then on Cronometer in Settings, find Targets and plug in your Current Weight along with your Goal Weight and the rate at which you'd like to lose, usually no more than 1lb per week. This will automatically recalculate your caloric requirements using the ratios that you've already established. I'm very impressed with your tracking and weight lost already. Keep us posted on your progress.
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Jan18
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Re: Losing Weight

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Julie G wrote:Hi jan18! Because you are over 65, you probably want to target higher amounts of protein— 1.1 to 1.2g/kg LBM. It's fine to create your macronutrient ratios based upon your current weight, but then on Cronometer in Settings, find Targets and plug in your Current Weight along with your Goal Weight and the rate at which you'd like to lose, usually no more than 1lb per week. This will automatically recalculate your caloric requirements using the ratios that you've already established. I'm very impressed with your tracking and weight lost already. Keep us posted on your progress.
How wonderful to hear so quickly from you, Julie G! Thanks so much! I just watched you and Dr. B speaking in several videos and it was so great to "meet" you that way. We all owe you so much for your perseverance, this site, your sharing of your experience and knowledge (as we owe so many others here for theirs, too!) I am so grateful for the selfless gift of other posters' and your time and help!!!

I've noted what you've said about increased protein and yes, I will use current weight/height for macros as outlined in the book and do my usual Target calculation on cronometer with my goal weight and 1/2-1 lb loss a week. I get so confused with so much seemingly or actual conflicting information! One such example is that I was told if we eat too much protein, it can throw off keto and halt weight loss so I didn't know how much was too much! I'll just aim for 1.1g/kg LBM right now and see how that goes.

I have to mention I just got discouraged with weight loss being super slow (or not coming off now for several weeks) when I've heard so many people say once they started keto, their weight "just melted off fast"!
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Re: Losing Weight

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Jan18 wrote:One such example is that I was told if we eat too much protein, it can throw off keto and halt weight loss so I didn't know how much was too much! I'll just aim for 1.1g/kg LBM right now and see how that goes.

I have to mention I just got discouraged with weight loss being super slow (or not coming off now for several weeks) when I've heard so many people say once they started keto, their weight "just melted off fast"!
Though I have Julie's (Dr. B's) book, haven't read it yet, so not sure what she says on macros. I agree with prioritizing protein. While protein can raise insulin, it basically does it at 54% of what carbs do, on a per gram basis. You are trying to lower insulin so your body will access stored body fat. This also means you don't want to overdo fat consumption - otherwise your body will use that for fuel instead of your own fat. See here. Sometimes longer fasts, say 42 hours can give you a boost in lowering insulin, if you are insulin resistant. Eating sufficient protein when you do eat will keep you from losing lean body mass.
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Re: Losing Weight

Post by NewRon »

Here's another fasting aid:

viewtopic.php?p=63004#p63004

Great article, Tincup!
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Julie G
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Re: Losing Weight

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This also means you don't want to overdo fat consumption - otherwise your body will use that for fuel instead of your own fat. See here. Sometimes longer fasts, say 42 hours can give you a boost in lowering insulin, if you are insulin resistant. Eating sufficient protein when you do eat will keep you from losing lean body mass.
Agree, as will strength training at least 3-4 x per week. Excellent point, Tincup, about reducing dietary fat especially as you heal from insulin resistance and are able to extend your daily fast. In the book, the macronutrient ratio instructions to reach ketosis do emphasize their dynamic nature.
I have to mention I just got discouraged with weight loss being super slow (or not coming off now for several weeks) when I've heard so many people say once they started keto, their weight "just melted off fast"!
Thank you for your kind words, Jan. You're clearly doing an excellent job navigating many new strategies. Since you're achieving a decent level of ketosis, you may want to consider experimenting with extending your daily fast and cutting back on dietary fat. How many hours are you fasting now?
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Jan18
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Re: Losing Weight

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Tincup wrote: I agree with prioritizing protein. While protein can raise insulin, it basically does it at 54% of what carbs do, on a per gram basis. You are trying to lower insulin so your body will access stored body fat. This also means you don't want to overdo fat consumption - otherwise your body will use that for fuel instead of your own fat. See here. Sometimes longer fasts, say 42 hours can give you a boost in lowering insulin, if you are insulin resistant. Eating sufficient protein when you do eat will keep you from losing lean body mass.
Is something off with the macro computations in the new book? I went through and plugged mine in and ended up with only 10% protein! And that was figuring 1.1 g per kilo, due to my age. For me to lose 1/2-1lb a week, that means only 34 g protein a day. Seems so low. That gave me 75% fat g, as the book tells us to portion, and 15% carbs. More carbs than protein?

I need to go back and recheck the math, but I did it three times to be sure. Must have done something wrong?

P.S. Does apoe.info not inform us of responses to our posts anymore? I never get any and just happen upon them when I come online. Or wait, would they suddenly be going to my spam? Hmmmm.....I'll check.
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Re: Losing Weight

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Julie G wrote: You're clearly doing an excellent job navigating many new strategies. Since you're achieving a decent level of ketosis, you may want to consider experimenting with extending your daily fast and cutting back on dietary fat. How many hours are you fasting now?
Thanks, Julie!

I think my insulin resistance may be healed, so that's not an issue. It went from 8 down to 4.8. Don't have Bredesen's cognoscopy values in front of me now -- should it be even lower?

I fast 16 hours every day.

Did you see that my computations according to the macro percentages in the latest book put me at only 10% protein? 34 g. Isn't that awfully low?

And my thinking now about not losing weight is that perhaps my fat grams can be lowered, since I think I am insulin sensitive now. If I try that, should I keep my protein at 10% since your latest book says protein percentages should stay nearly the same, and then if I try lowering fat grams to maybe 70%, up the carb percentage then to 20%? Perhaps it was too many fat grams?
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Re: Losing Weight

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Jan18 wrote: Does apoe.info not inform us of responses to our posts anymore? I never get any and just happen upon them when I come online. Or wait, would they suddenly be going to my spam? Hmmmm.....I'll check.
Hi Jan18, You should be getting a notification when there is a response to your post but that only happens automatically when the person replying to you uses the quotation function. If they don’t quote you, a notification isn’t generated. Another way to be sure that you see responses is to subscribe to a thread. Then you’ll be notified when anyone posts in the thread whether you are quoted or not. You subscribe via the little wrench at the top left of the thread between Post Reply and Search this Topic.
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Jan18
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Re: Losing Weight

Post by Jan18 »

floramaria wrote:You should be getting a notification when there is a response to your post but that only happens automatically when the person replying to you uses the quotation function. If they don’t quote you, a notification isn’t generated. Another way to be sure that you see responses is to subscribe to a thread. Then you’ll be notified when anyone posts in the thread whether you are quoted or not. You subscribe via the little wrench at the top left of the thread between Post Reply and Search this Topic.
Ah, thank you for the explanation, Floramaria! Helps a lot!
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